It's Always Darkest Before The Dawn
by Cantfitmyname
Summary: Time is broken. Darkness is spreading over the Sinnoh region and only Moriko Aoki and her companions Ankoku and Kaito can stop it. But how will they achieve this when ghosts of the past start appearing and their rivals- and even her friends- are not who they say they are?
1. Meet The Trainers

**A/N: Hello, Pokemon fans! This is my first Pokemon fanfic, set in the Sinnoh region. I am not as big a Pokemon nerd as my BFF ParallelDimesion75 is, though, so I might get a few things wrong. Please bear with me if I do. Also all the Japanese names were taken off the internet and we all know the internet can be wrong so sorry if some of these names don't actually exist... Anyway, this is set ten years after Diamond and Pearl, so new Pokemon professor! Also, before anyone says, I can't seem to find that fancy "E" the word Pokemon uses, so sorry. This story may not start out all creepy and mysterious, that happens later. If you didn't already know, I don't own Pokemon! I am a fan! Writing fiction! Like the name of the site! Yay for that! #Somanyexclaimationpoints**

**Also, I would like to thank Farla for pointing out some problems in this fanfic so that I could fix them. Moving on, here is the story!**

* * *

The first light of dawn sneaked its way through the branches of spring trees and through the open window of Moriko's room, casting dappled shadows on the girl in question- a short child curled up on her bed, staring out at the scenery. Today was the day that would change her life, little did Moriko know. The girl grinned, ready for the day she had been waiting for her whole life.

In what seemed like an instant, Moriko was dressed, her messy hair combed and laid to rest in a low ponytail, and breakfast eaten. She was out the door before she knew it, and now she stood, outside, looking at a familiar scene.

Her best friend, Ankoku, stood in Moriko's front garden, leaning against a tree, a reading a book, her rarely seen glasses perched on the bridge of her nose. Ankoku had been Moriko's best friend ever since she had moved to Twinleaf Town- Ankoku was new too, fresh from Celestic Town, while Moriko had moved from her old home in Hearthome.

It was an odd experience moving from a large city to a small town, but Ankoku helped a lot. They had been in this town for a whole year, and finally now they would get some pokemon to call their own.

Ankoku looked up from her book, and smirked at Moriko.

"You're late."

Moriko grinned, running over to her best friend. "Oh really, Miss Noctowl?"

"Whatever you say, Miss Snorlax," Ankoku retorted, and received a light punch on the shoulder by Moriko.

"Save it for Kaito, Koku!"

Kaito was another of Moriko's friends, an awkward and clumsy yet thoughtful boy, who had a tendency to sleep in. He too had moved to Twinleaf, however he had moved years before Ankoku and Moriko did.

"Speaking of which, where is he?" Ankoku inquired. "Off dreaming of pokemon battles?"

Ankoku shrugged. "I don't know- but he better hurry up soon. It's already seven thirty. Speaking of pokemon, which would you choose? I'd personally love to call a chimchar my own."

Moriko stopped to consider this for a moment. _I can understand why Koku would want a Chimchar- It's powerful and fast, so gym battles would be a piece of cake. But then again, Turtwig does learn some pretty epic moves later on... I'm not sure about Piplup though... And what does she mean, seven thirty! It was dawn just a few minutes ago!_

Moriko answered as honestly as she could, "Honestly, I don't know yet. Probably turtwig, but then again, you never know..."

"Personally, I think piplup is the best choice," said a voice coming from behind Moriko. Moriko whirled around to see Kaito, shaggy blond hair uncombed and shirt on backwards.

"You're late," Ankoku quipped.

* * *

After a quick sprint the trio found themselves outside Professor Rowan's laboratory in Sandgem town just as Moriko's watch struck eight. Just in time! Moriko sighed with relief before turning to her two companions. Kaito was exhausted, just like Moriko was, while Ankoku seemed unfazed. As usual.

The doors to the laboratory were thrown open by a young woman, Professor Haruki Rowan, the granddaughter of the original Professor Rowan. She beamed happily at the trio of soon-to-be-trainers.

"Welcome! I'm Professor Rowan, but you can call me the Pokemon Professor! And you must be Kaito, Ankoku and Moriko! Come inside!" She said merrily. The young professor was wearing a light pink lab coat, and her silver hair was tied up in a bouncy ponytail. She led them inside the laboratory and to a table with six Pokeballs utop it. That was a bit strange.

"Why six?" Kaito asked, gesturing to the Pokeballs, "As far as I could gather there are only three starters."

The Professor looked at him in surprise. "Don't you know? Today there are six new trainers instead of three! Breaking tradition, I know, but-"

Suddenly, a pink-haired girl stepped out of the shadows, flanked by a pale girl with wispy white hair and a slightly tanned boy with handsome features. The leader spoke. "I think a break in tradition is a little bit needed, eh? Letting only three kids per month is a little unfair, and I have been waiting for so long…"

Moriko grimaced. Arashi, the richest girl in Twinleaf. She had moved here last month, and was easily one of the meanest children as well. Her parents, as far as Moriko knew, were quite nice, greeting each neighbour in the small town kindly and leaving a very good impression. Arashi was nothing like that- she thought because she was rich she should always get her own way.

And to top it all off, Arashi was from Unova and already had a Tepig, which she had left there for a chance to get "a flashy new starter from Sinnoh". Moriko had been waiting at least a year for the chance to get a Pokemon to call her own.

Her two lackeys, Hikari, an aloof girl who seemed nice enough but could break an iron bar in two (or so Moriko had been told), and Dendo, her cousin, and Kaito's best friend. According to Kaito, Dendo was actually quite nice but was forced into doing this "evil minion" thing by Arashi. Ankoku and Moriko were still wary of him though.

Moriko felt Ankoku tense up behind her. If Moriko disliked Arashi and Company, then Ankoku hated them. With a fiery passion that could not be contained. Ever.

This hatred was only fueled as, of course, despite coming later, Arashi somehow managed to convince The Professor that she should choose her Pokemon first (probably with a rather large wad of cash), while Moriko and Company had to wait in the light pink waiting room of the lab with Arashi's lackeys. Ankoku was stuck in a stare-off with Hikari, while Dendo and Kaito awkwardly tried to chat without the dreaded stare being aimed at them.

Moriko, however, was pacing the room, waiting for Arashi to come out so that she could get her own Pokemon. Arashi was probably taking so long on purpose, just to make Mori impatient. It was working.

After what seemed like ages, Arashi swaggered into the room, a Pokeball in tow. Moriko gritted her teeth in frustration as Arashi blocked the entrance to the other room, instead pulling out her Pokeball and holding it up in the air triumphantly. "Guess what I got!" She said in a singsong voice, releasing the pokemon inside. A chimchar. Great.

"His name is Katsu, meaning victory, for obvious reasons!"

Victory, eh? Moriko would see about that. The girl, not wishing to hear any more of Arashi's snobby bragging, pushed past the girl and practically ran inside the main laboratory room. Inside was the same room Moriko had seen earlier, minus one Pokeball. The Professor smiled at Moriko and gestured the Pokeballs.

"Go on, choose one!" she said, as the Pokeballs all suddenly opened, revealing two turtwigs, a chimchar and two piplups.

Now came the decision. Moriko almost picked a piplup- if she ever had to battle Arashi, it would sure come in handy defeating her chimchar. But then again, Arashi could just beg or bribe or steal some other pokemon to top her's. No, Moriko would show Arashi that even though Moriko's pokemon may be weak to Arashi's, she could still defeat her throught the bond between pokemon and human. Or something like that. Moriko picked up the turtwig that was nuzzling her hand curiously.

"Ah, I see you like turtwig!" The Professer spoke, gesturing to the green turtle in Moriko's arms. "This one is female, as opposed to Naoki over here!" She patted the other turtwig on the head fondly.

"Does she have a name?" Moriko asked, looking down at her new pokemon, which was currently squirming around, trying to get free.

"Oh yes, she's called Hama! It means "ground leaf", quite fitting if you ask me!" Moriko returned Hama to her Pokeball.

"I choose her." She said, before walking out into the waiting room. Arashi glared at her.

"I see you have your pokemon. Took you long enough, Aoki. Care for a battle?"


	2. All Roads Lead to Oreburgh

**A/N: This chapter was Beta-ed by my best fried ParallelDimension75. Who had never listed any of my stories as favourites until about five or so days ago.**

**Anyway, here's the second chapter!**

"Use Tackle, Hama!" Moriko cried out, and her Turtwig charged the offending Chimchar.

"Dodge it, Katsu!" Katsu leapt nimbly out of the way, leaving Hama sprawled into the dirt. While Dendo and Kaito chose their Pokémon, Arashi and Moriko had taken the battle to a dirt patch in the lab's backyard. Hikari and Ankoku cheered for their respective teams, placing bets on the winner.

"Now use Scratch, Katsu!" The Chimchar swiped at Hama's underbelly, and the poor Turtwig was left unable to battle. The epic fight had gone on for about five minutes, and it seemed now that Hama had finally given up.

"Hama, return!" Moriko yelled, her Pokémon disappearing in the red glow. Arashi smirked.

"Bad choice choosing that Turtwig, eh?" She said, returning Katsu.

"Oh, come on," Moriko said, annoyed, "That hardly matters! You didn't even use one fire type move the whole battle!"

Arashi laughed cruelly, a glint in her eye. "I didn't need fire type moves to beat that. Katsu here excels in speed, so he was obviously going to dodge almost all of your attacks, and he got to go first. Seriously, Aoki, don't you know anything?"

Moriko grimaced, gripping her Pokéball tightly, just as Dendo and Kaito emerged from the lab, chatting rapidly. They noticed Ankoku and Hikari, the former of which was handing over a couple of bills to the latter.

"Hey Koku! Professor Rowan needs you!" Kaito called out, waving.

"Same for you, Hiki!" Dendo added. The betting duo ran toward the lab to get their Pokemon, as Dendo and Kaito joined the other new Pokemon trainers.

"So, I'm guessing Arashi won?" Kaito asked, holding back a enraged Moriko who was trying to claw her rival's eyes out.

"Obviously," Arashi replied smugly, flicking her hair over her shoulder, "And although I love seeing Aoki this angry, I have better things to do. Come, Dendo."

The boy reluctantly trudged after the pink haired brat, waving goodbye to Kaito. Hikari sprinted out of the lab to join them. Ankoku emerged from the lab a moment after, looking royally pissed off.

"Honestly, you two," she hissed, glaring at Kaito and Morkio, "Making me look stupid choosing my Chimchar in front of Hikari! Who, surprise surprise, got a Piplup! Moriko, seriously, don't pick a flipping grass type if your rival has a fire Pokemon! And you're just as bad, Kaito!"

Moriko and Kaito shrunk back. Bad things happened to people who defied the "great and mighty Ankoku, master of darkness". The duo retreated towards the nearby Pokecenter, the enraged girl chasing after them.

* * *

"Thank you for waiting! Your Pokémon has been healed. Come again soon!" A middle aged Nurse Joy said tiredly, smiling at Moriko. She handed her back her Turtwig, now healed and safe in it's Pokéball. Moriko smiled politely at the weary nurse and thanked her. Ankoku had calmed down after her outburst earlier, most of her anger redirected at Arashi and Co. The trio of new trainers (now safe from Ankoku's mighty wrath) exited the center and started walking down Route 202, towards Jubilife city, starting their journey to Oreburgh.

About two hours later, Moriko broke. "Why haven't we found a Pokémon yet? I thought this place was full of them!"

Ankoku rolled her eyes. "Maybe they are repelled by your impatience and whiny voice," she said, raising one eyebrow.

Moriko threw a Pokéball at her, which Ankoku ducked, a wicked grin plastered on her face.

There was a loud 'thump' and then a 'click!' sound from behind them.

The three turned to see the thrown ball rocking on the ground, the white button flashing red. After a while, it burst open, a blue and black Pokémon hopping out.

"Great," Moriko moaned. "I waste my first ball on Koku and a- what is it?"

"Shinx!" said the Pokémon in an annoyed manner.

"There's your answer," Ankoku muttered. Moriko threw her an annoyed glance, but had learnt her lesson from throwing Pokéballs.

The Pokemon ran up to Kaito and took an aggressive stance, growling at him. Kaito grinned, throwing out his Piplup.

"Go, Taki!" He called brightly.

Taki (apparently the name of his Piplup) chirped in an honestly adorable battle cry. The Shinx ran towards the Piplup in a Tackle, just as Kaito cried out for Taki to dodge, and a dust cloud erupted. When it cleared, Shinx was buried head first into the ground, Piplup standing victorious over it. Moriko and Ankoku, astounded, cheered Taki on, fuelling the little bird to use a very cute Pound, slamming into the Shink, leaving it dazed and almost on the brink of fainting. Kaito threw a Pokéball, successfully capturing the electric Pokémon.

"Come back, Taki!"

Moriko and Ankoku were dumfounded, and (in Ankoku's case) slightly ticked off. How had Kaito managed to end a battle that quickly, with a type disadvantage, with a Pokémon he had only known for a couple hours? It didn't make any sense! Kaito burst out laughing at the shocked expressions on his friend's face.

"Come on guys, I just won a battle! It's not like I just saved the world or anything!" He said, "Anyway, Jubilife is right ahead! What are you guys waiting for?" The blonde boy started running towards the City Gates, his shocked (Moriko) and annoyed (Ankoku) friends following him.

* * *

Their visit to Jubilife was rather uneventful. While staying in a hotel for a couple days Moriko had plenty of time to train up Hama for the Oreburgh gym battle, while Ankoku tried working on catching a Pokémon that wasn't weak to rock types. Eventually she caught a Pachirisu-hyper Kricketot, which she promptly named Kazuki. It was still weak to rock types, so Ankoku had tried to catch another Pokémon, but with no such luck. Kaito was pretty much set, having a water type (super effective to rock types) and a relatively strong electric type (as a fallback if Taki fainted). Moriko had also been burdened with an overly fond Bidoof which had followed her around until she caught it.

Moriko's Bidoof was named Atsuko, after Ankoku had threatened to kill her if she named the Pokémon "Fluffy". Kaito had forgone naming his Shinx, but offered to share his Pokémon with Ankoku if she failed to beat Oreburgh's gym leader the first time around. Ankoku had politely declined, and she stayed behind in Oreburgh Gate to see if she had better luck there.

So today found Moriko and Kaito in the polluted-looking city of Oreburgh. They would be staying in Kaito's cousin Ishi's house for as long as they needed to stay in the city. The nineteen year old was blonde and blue eyed like Kaito, but her hair was more honey coloured than his light, downy blond hair. Her eyes were darker too, and she looked at least five years younger than her actual age.

Ishi was nice enough, but she had the habit of fussing over everyone like a mother hen. When Ankoku returned Ishi took the whole afternoon chatting to Ankoku about her time down in the mine, and what Pokémon she had caught, all the while brushing the girl's head and cleaning her up. To say the least, Ankoku felt a little bit annoyed by Ishi's pampering.

Ankoku had caught a vain but affectionate Budew named Aijo- how Ankoku had managed to find a Budew in a cave still remained a mystery- so she was starting to feel more confident about facing the gym leader. Apparently his name was Kuro.

Even with new Pokémon aplenty, by the time they reached the dreaded gym, Ankoku was starting to have second thoughts.

She took a deep breath, and swung open the gym doors.


	3. Rock Type Struggles

As the doors to the gym swung open, the trio of eager new trainers were met with a stunning view. Decorative stalactites hung from the ceiling, a cluster of them illuminated to form a chandelier-esque figure in the center of the ceiling, the rest spiraling away from the cluster. The floor was made out of jagged stone, and the wallpaper painted a scene of an endless cave. A small waterfall trickled from a group of rocks on the far wall, ending up in a moat around the battle arena. Kaito whistled in appreciation of the scenery, while Ankoku's eyebrows were raised and Moriko's mouth hung open.

Kuro himself was seated on a throne-like seat of rock and stone, from which several other trickles of water ran into the moat. The gym leader looked young, and he was- Ankoku, whilst staying in the mines, had picked up some gossip the miners had about Kuro. He was only fifteen, fresh from his own journey as a Pokemon trainer. He was also the cousin of Roark, who was currently working on digging underground tunnels connecting Sinnoh to all the other regions, and thus was unable to perform his Gym Leader duties.

Hovering next to Kuro's shoulder was a Geodude, and to his side a Cranidos stood to attention. An Onix had itself wrapped snake-style around the whole scene. Kaito stepped forward.

"Kuro!" He called, "I challenge you to a Pokemon battle!"

Kuro stood, his Pokemon stirring. Moriko wondered how long he had sat in that picturesque pose, waiting for a trainer to battle. By the looks on his stretching, at least a few hours. He smirked.

"Finally, a challenger," he spoke, smugly, whilst crossing a stone bridge, "Took you long enough, hopefully you'll not be a disappointment like that pink-haired chick a while ago. What was her name? Ashi or something."

Moriko's eyes widened in surprise. _Arashi was here?! _She thought, sitting down on a rock seat near the arena.

Kaito's eyes narrowed in annoyance. _This guy is as arrogant as Arashi!_ He seethed, following Kuro over the moat.

Ankoku just had a smug expression on her face. _Looks like Princess Arashi lost a battle! _She thought gleefully, seated next to Moriko.

"Anyway," the Gym Leader said, now in his place on the arena, "Let the battle begin." His Geodude hovered in front of him, as Kaito threw his Pokeball.

"Piplup! Piplup!" Taki chirped. Moriko let out a whoop as the small bird delivered a fatal Bubble, knocking out Kuro's Geodude in one hit. Kaito sure had been training hard. Hit by hit, Kaito utterly destroyed Kuro's Pokemon. Kuro did manage to land a quite a few powerful hits.

But then a critical hit from Kuro's Onix, the last of his Pokemon, proved too much for the little penguin Pokémon. Kuro was sweating, his Onix on it's last legs. Kaito, however was unfazed, throwing out his Shinx.

Kuro doubled over laughing. "You're first blue pipsqueak faints, so you send out another blue pipsqueak that's weak to my Onix? Clever little kid," Kuro laughed. "Have you just given up?"

Kaito clenched his fists."Shinx, use Spark!"

Shinx rammed into Onix, but the Onix appeared unfazed. It just scratched it's belly with it's tail then sent the little 'pipsqueak' flying. Shinx smashed into the ground with a loud cry. "Shinx!"

"Kaito, you idiot!" Ankoku yelled, her hands cupped around her mouth. "Onix is a Ground Type! Electric attacks don't do a damn thing!"

Kaito gritted his teeth. He was not losing to this jerk.

Shinx struggled to it's feet, with Kaito shouting encouragements.

"Onix, use Dig," Kuro said in a bored manner, checking his watch.

Kaito's mind just- blanked. He couldn't think. All he could hear was a ringing noise, and time seemed to slow down. Somewhere behind him, he could hear Moriko and Ankoku yelling, but it wasn't clear. Ankoku was yelling something about 'idiotic idiot' and Moriko was yelling something along the lines of 'Come one Kaito!'

Onix burst out of the ground in slow motion. Kaito opened his mouth, but it was like he was in a dream. His mouth moved, and sound came out. He had no idea what really happened, but the next second Onix had flown back into the wall and fainted, while it took Shinx exactly three more seconds to collapse.

The referee called the match, and Kaito's head cleared.

"It looks like you won," Kuro growled, shoving the Badge into Kaito's hands. Kaito shot a grin an the two spectating trainers, his Shinx (in Kaito's arms) taking a bow. Kuro gripped the Pokeball in his hand tighter.

After Kuro had healed his Pokémon and the disorganised referee had found his green flag, Moriko's battle began.

Moriko sent her Bidoof out first. Kuro was surprised for a while, then he defaulted to his usual smirk. Atsuko cried out as Geodude pummelled her into the ground, hitting hard and fast. The Bidoof was lying on the ground, motionless after the attack. Kuro's leer grew wider, when suddenly Atsuko rose, storming into Geodude with Rollout, a rock type move.

Kuro was stunned as the tables were turned, and his Pokemon lay fallen on the ground. Atsuko, at the command of Moriko, Tackled it to finish it off.

Next was Cranidos, which quickly got the better of Atsuko with the aid of a dangerous-looking Headbutt.

"That all you got?" Kuro taunted, and his Cranidos growled.

Moriko smiled, pulling out her final Pokeball and throwing it. It span across the arena, landing with a small "click" as it's signature red glow illuminated the cave-like gym, and out of the crimson light came her trump card: Hama.

"Go, Hama, Razor Leaf!" Moriko shouted, and her Pokemon twirled expertly, releasing a torrent of leaves flying at Cranidos. It was rather easy to say who won that battle, and even easier to say who wasn't pleased with the outcome.

Finally, it was Ankoku's turn. Kuro was worn out, so that was a plus, but he was also extremely pissed. Add that to Ankoku's major type disadvantages, and one could very certainly say that this battle was going to be extremely difficult for both Trainers.

* * *

It was thirty minutes in to the battle and Ankoku had made no progress. Kazuki was her first Pokemon- she had tried pulling the same trick Moriko had, but the hyper Kricketot was too twitchy to stay still, and thus Geodude wasn't fooled, instead making Kazuki faint for real.

Chimchar- Ankoku still hadn't told them it's nickname, if it even had one- didn't fare much better. Finally, she sent out Budew.

"Bud-ewww!" It cried, taking on a battle stance. Kuro burst out laughing.

"What is that? It's tiny!" he chortled. "It's even more of a pipsqueak then mister blue!"

The Geodude, apparently as arrogant as it's Trainer, poked the Pokemon. This was a very serious mistake.

"Aijo, now!" Ankoku yelled, pumping her fist in the air. The little Pokemon hit with a surprisingly powerful Mega Drain, leaving the unfortunate -and foolish- Geodude unable to battle. Moriko and Kaito cheered. Kuro sent out his Cranidos...

Which, unlike Geodude, managed to land a few hits, before Aijo totally wiped the floor with it. Hard.

Last was Onix, who towered over the tiny Budew. Kuro used this to his advantage, using his Onix to flatten Aijo before it could even move. Moriko and Kaito stopped cheering and froze. The end of the line?

"Aijo! Aijo, get up!" Ankoku yelled. "Come on! I trained you better than that!"

A horrible moment of silence. The referee raised his flag, opened his mouth and-

A burst of blinding white light filled the arena. The Trainers and the referee shielded their eyes. Onix was flung backwards off Aijo, the Budew was enveloped in the bright glow.

"Roselia!" called the Pokemon from inside it's cocoon of light, "Roseliaaaaa!"

Moriko and Kaito gasped, but Ankoku had been expecting this. Since she wasn't automatically going to win she spent much more time training her Pokemon than her friends.

"Aijo, Magical Leaf!" Ankoku shouted, punching her fist in Kuro and Onix's general direction. The newly evolved Roselia shot the newly-learned attack straight at Kuro's Onix, and the the pompous Gym Leader's last chance at victory shattered.

* * *

After Ankoku earned her badge, the trio stepped outside. They were all worn out, and the fresh, town air was like a breath of life for them. As they walked towards Nurse Joy, chatting about Ankoku's amazing victory, nobody noticed small hands reaching for their precious Pokemon...


	4. Three Young Theives

**A/N**

**Once again, the lovely ParallelDimension75 beta read and generally helped a lot on this chapter. **

**She also made Kurai turn into a weird Miles Edgeworth clone, with just a dash of Arthur Kirkland added in there. And she doesn't even watch, play, or like Hetalia or Ace Attorney. I must be rubbing off on her.**

**Anyways, on with the story!**

The trio was already at the Pokemon centre when they realised their Pokemon were missing. Moriko panicked, Kaito began checking his bag and clothes quickly, as if his Pokemon would suddenly reappear in his left sleeve. Ankoku remained a chilling calm, but anyone who knew the girl, as Moriko and Kaito did, could tell that between her tense posture, clenched fists and grim expression that inside she was probably scanning the room for something to punch.

It didn't help that at that precise moment, an extremely angry Arashi burst in through the door.

"I knew you punks had stolen my Pokemon!" she yelled, an incomprehensibly furious expression on her face. Her lackeys were nowhere to be seen- probably searching for the "Pink Princess's" precious Pokemon.

Moriko stopped hyperventilating for a moment to glare back at Arashi. "_Us _steal _your _Pokemon- _You _stole _ours_!" In a moment the two rivals were practically throttling each other. For once, neither Kaito or Ankoku tried to stop Moriko. The former because he had started searching behind the pot plants, the latter because she really wanted to see how this would go down.

Nurse Joy was watching the entire palaver with rapt interest, being one of the newer Nurses. It wasn't everyday a huge fight went down in a hospital.

"You're lucky I can't use Pokemon moves, or you'd get a face full of Blizzard!" Arashi shouted, stabbing her finger in Moriko's chest.

"Well you'd... um... get a face full of Aura Sphere!" Moriko countered.

"Dragon Rush!"

"Leaf Storm!"

"Outrage!"

"Ah... Mega Punch?"

"Ice Beam, followed up with a Dragon Pulse and... You're dead." Arashi said, sneering.

"Hey, that's five moves, cheater!" Moriko said, in indignation.

Ankoku decided to but in. "Both of you, shut up and do something useful like looking for the Pokémon?"

Arashi glared at her. "You think you're as tough as Giratina!"

Ankoku drew herself up to her full imposing height, her eyes alive with a malicious glint. "One of these days I will-"

They never knew what Ankoku would do, because they were interrupted by an extremely loud and enthusiastic call.

"Razor Leaf!" a small female voice said brightly, "Go, Leafy, go!"

"_Turtwiiiig_!"

Moriko and Arashi slowly turned around.

"Hey! No fair, Zuki! Pippy can't take that hit!" Another young voice said, this time male. It seemed to be coming from outside.

"I'm winning this, Oyu! Leafy can handle anything you throw at me!" The first voice said again. The two rivals started sprinting towards the door.

"Well can "Leafy" handle THE AWESOME CHARCOAL'S POWER?!"

"Be quiet, Mizu, I'm playing with Fern and Fluffy!" A third voice said softly, just as Arashi and Moriko burst out of the Pokémon center. What they saw shocked them to no end. Three young children stood in a circle, one with lime green hair and a pink flower behind one ear and Turtwig and a Bidoof in her arms, a young boy with electric blue hair and teal eyes standing behind a Chimchar, and the last, a girl with light blonde hair with pink streaks standing behind another Turtwig. Two Piplups ran around, one of them with a couple of leaves in it's feathers. Another Chimchar had rested itself on the blonde's shoulder. Various Pokeballs laid unopened on the ground.

There was no doubt about it- these were the missing Pokemon. This point was proved especially true when the green haired girl looked at Arashi and screamed, running away with her friends following her. The Pokemon, save the Bidoof still in the terrified girl's arms, stayed behind. Moriko scooped up Hama, while Arashi picked up a Mega Ball, supposedly holding her Pokemon. It seemed that the young thieves had healed the Pokemon. Moriko called out for her friends to come out, running after the trio of kids.

"Hey, give Atsuko back!" Moriko yelled, following the trio into a house, in which they promptly ran up a flight of stairs. Inside, a boy around Moriko's age was washing dishes in a sink. His hair was a light grey, his eyes a shining blue. He wore all black, save for the red shirt he wore underneath his jacket. He regarded Moriko through narrowed eyes, noticing her angry expression.

"Mizuki, Oyu, Ayaka, get back here now!" He called out in a dangerous tone. The boy was very thin, and his shoulder-length hair seemed to float around him.

The trio of thieves walked sheepishly down the stairs.

"But Kuraaiiii!" Oyu whined, his clothes (somehow wet) dripping on the floor. Ayaka's head was down, her green hair unable to cover her flushed cheeks. Kurai glared at them, his expression like that of an oncoming storm. The blonde child- Mizuki?- trotted over to Moriko and presented her with her Bidoof.

"Sorry, Miss!" she squeaked, as Moriko picked up her Pokemon, "I didn't mean to keep her! We just wanted some Pokemon for our own!" Moriko smiled slightly. She could never keep mad at kids.

"Yeah, sorry, miss." Ayaka said quietly, elbowing the wet Oyu in in the ribs when he didn't apologise.

"Um, yeah, sorry or whatever..." he grumbled, his teal eyes cast down. Or maybe Moriko could keep mad at children.

Just then, an extremely determined-looking Kaito kicked open the door to the house, wielding a stick.

"Okay, who do we need to kill?" he inquired brightly. Moriko burst out laughing. Kurai sighed, his thunderous expression lightening slightly.

* * *

After Kaito's "graceful" entrance, he was followed by Arashi, Ankoku, Dendo, Hikari and what seemed like half of the Officer Jennys in the entire Sinnoh region. Kurai was understandably frustrated, while Mizuki and Oyu were excited, and everyone had seemed to have forgotten the quiet Ayaka. And there was (another) strange kid wandering around everywhere with his eyes closed. What a calamity.

"No, I'm not pressing charges!" Moriko said for what seemed to be the thousandth time, "They're just kids!" Eventually the Jennys left, leaving behind the four kids, seven teenagers and their Pokemon. Kurai poured everyone some tea.

"So, first things first, who are you lot?" He asked, sipping his tea. Moriko answered.

"I'm Moriko, and these are Kaito, Ankoku, Dendo, Hikari and..." she sighed. "Arashi."

"Pleased to make your acquaintance," Kurai spoke in a solemn tone. "I apologise for my siblings' meddling." Kurai shot an angry glare at Mizuki. The blond smiled sheepishly.

"Sorry again, Miss." Ayaka said, for the fiftieth time.

"You better be sorry!" Arashi growled, holding her Chimchar. She stood abruptly, knocking her tea cup over and stalked out the door, followed by the bland-faced Hikari and the annoyed looking Dendo.

Oyu, smiling slyly, whispered something into Mizuki's ears. Her pink eyes widened, and she whispered something to Ayaka. Ayaka put her hand to her mouth in surprise, whispering something back. Kurai glared at them. "You three! it's not polite to whisper!"

Mizuki folded her arms. "You give us nightmares with that freaky stare of yours! Stop it!"

Kurai shot her a glare. "You three, to your room, now."

They trudged up the stairs, muttering something rude about Kurai. Ayaka's flower caught the light and glittered, her yellow dress also shimmering. Oyu kicked a step and had to hop the rest of the way up, cursing. Kurai watched the entire thing appraisingly, his eyebrows up.

Moriko finished her tea and waved goodbye to Kurai. "Hope to see guys again soon!" she called, "Although maybe not in these circumstances..."

"Hope to see you again as well, Miss Moriko." The odd Kurai replied, leaning back in his chair, his cup to his lips.

Moriko almost swore she could see a smile curl at the edges of his mouth.

* * *

It had been two days since their encounter with Kurai and his, frankly crazy family. By now they were already in Eterna forest, after stopping for a short rest in Floaroma town. Unfortunately for them, and the morning of their first day camping in the forest, Moriko informed the group of a slightly major complication in their plan to get to Eterna by nightfall.

"I think Atsuko ate the map."

It was needless to say that the rest of the group was annoyed to no end, especially since they were camping right next to a crucial fork in the maze-like forest. One path would lead to Eterna, and the other, well, no one was sure where it would lead them. And no one knew which way to go.

Ankoku pointed her finger at Moriko, her eyes flashing. "You go first, 'Aoki,' seeing as you lost the map!"

Moriko muttered angrily to herself as she trudged along the path on the left, brushing past tall grass and a few small saplings. She was definitely going the wrong way- unless the people who built Eterna wanted all travelers to be ambushed by Pokemon and even the very trees themselves on the way there. She couldn't hear Ankoku and Kaito anymore; they must have turned back. Moriko was just about to turn back herself when she realised that the way she came wasn't that easy to find. All around her she saw the same thing- bushes and tall grass and saplings and- oh damn it!

She whirled around, panic rising in her chest. Grass rustled eerily, and the light began to fade as dusk approached. The ferns and trees seemed to glow with a spooky light and glowing eyes seemed to watch her from the shadows. Moriko gulped, her breath uneven.

Moriko Aoki was officially lost.


	5. The Chateau

**A/N (Cantfitmyname) This chapter was co-written by ParallelDimension75, who did an ABSOLUTELY AMAZING job. I would lie to thank her AGAIN for her wonderful Pokemon expertise. This story wouldn't be possible without her!**

**A/N (ParallelDimension75) Hello, readers. This is not YomielAintGotNothingSomethingSomethingSomething, it's PararllelDimension75. This chapter was kind of a combined effort (and by kind of, I mean I did it) and it took a HELL of a long time.  
In this chapter, the story gets a lot more quote-on-quote 'dark and mysterious' as promised. It is still really funny, when I was writing this I was laughing all through the Ankoku/Hikari scene. So, enjoy this chapter! Please! No, really, please enjoy. **  
**Oh, and for those who have played Pokémon Platinum and have a problem with the setting, it's a Fanfic, got it? We authors can mess around as much as we want!  
And, because Cantfitmyname will probably be tapping her watch and giving me an evil look by now, on with the story!**

A/N (Cantfitmyname) Oh, Parallel. How you flatter me.  
  
Panic gripped Moriko in a vice, consuming her, and starting a flame of absolute terror in her heart. She had no idea where she was. Strange noises whirled around her in a ghostly symphony, echoing through the canopy. Her heart beat loudly in her chest and her breath came quickly in shallow gasps. All she could hear was the all-encompassing pounding of her own heart.

Still, Moriko trudged forward. Maybe someone lived further up the trail? The only thing she could do was hope.

Moriko always had a phobia of getting lost. The worst way to die, in her mind, was to be left in a place you didn't know, with no way to talk to, or even say goodbye, to those you loved. The only other person who knew this, who had the slimmest chance to comfort her, was Ankoku. And she was gone, most likely safe at the Eterna Pokémon Centre, waiting for her to never come back.

Moriko shivered in fear. She bit her trembling lip as she brushed past bushes, grass, saplings- until the bushes turned into ordered hedges, the grass turned into a neat lawn, and the saplings turned into gardened flowers and neatly pruned trees. Moriko looked in front of her in awe, her fear momentarily forgotten. The house- more of a mansion, really- was vast, with stain glass windows painting scenes of Pokémon battles long past. A small, winding trail led up to it, the flowers around it gardened neatly.

Moriko realised her mouth was open, and closed it. She walked slowly forward, until her unnerve returned. Looking closely, she saw the windows were cracked in several places, and little pieces of glass had fallen out. The face of a Pokémon had fallen out completely. She ran a hand across the windowsill, only to snap it back at the layer of dust that covered it. Moriko glanced at the trail and her gaze caught the flowers. Interested, Moriko leaned in curiously, only to see they had wilted, long-dead. She jerked back, startled. What had happened here?

Moriko approached the mansion warily, and knocked on the front door, only to find it creak open on its own. Now Moriko was even more creeped out, but glancing behind her she decided that taking refuge in this seemingly abandoned house was better than waiting outside where wild Pokemon could attack her at any given moment.

Before she could loose her nerve, Moriko pulled herself over the doorway.

The inside of the mansion was elegantly furnished, with shining oak floors and a small statue that seemed to glare at her. Moriko looked around, her mouth once again open, gazing at the huge red velvet curtains drawn over the windows, cutting off the little light still left at dusk. Cobwebs adorned almost every nook and cranny, and Moriko shivered at the thought of the Bug-types that must've infested the place.

Moriko forced herself to start walking, and immediately winced when the floorboards creaked beneath her feet. She softly walked into to the main room, almost tiptoeing. Trying not to hesitate, she made her way up the huge stairs, each one covered in a thick layer of dust.

Moriko came to the landing and found herself in front of a huge set of polished oak double doors with handsome brass handles shining dully.

Moriko gulped and gave the door to the right a tiny push. Both doors quickly swung open, banging against the wall. A strong wind blew past Moriko and into the room, and the rusted iron candelabras around the room suddenly lit up with an eerie purple flame that looked spookily like a Will-O-Wisp attack.

Moriko's panic returned, but for a completely different reason. She stepped through into the room, and the doors swung back shut with a creak and a bang. Moriko jumped and turned around, her breath coming too quickly. She slowly walked forward, every step she was taking in the opulent room freaking her out further.

In the room was a long, polished, mahogany dining table, where to Moriko's surprise, a small girl with hair the colour of dark chocolate and an old, grey-haired man sat quietly. They looked up at her with blank, dull eyes.

"Ah! I'm so so so sorry!" Moriko hastily apologised. "I thought this place was abandoned!"

The two looked at each other slowly, and the little girl beckoned Moriko wordlessly towards the table.

* * *

"Ugh, where is Moriko?" Ankoku muttered, glancing around the dusk-lit Eterna as she and Kaito walked down the path to the Pokémon centre.

Kaito shrugged, his gaze wandering towards the large statue of Palkia and Dialga that stood in the town. Ankoku followed his gaze and grimaced. "What an eyesore..." she muttered, whilst Kaito merely started walking towards it, as if in a trance. Ankoku ran up to him and grabbed his shoulder as he continued moving, not blinking, towards the statue.

"Kaito," Ankoku hissed, and spoke louder when the boy didn't respond, "KAITO!"

Kaito shook Ankoku off and continued walking in his trance towards the statue. He reached out with one hand, and his fingertips brushed against it.

Ankoku waited, eyebrows raised sardonically. Nothing happened.

Ankoku breathed a sigh of relief, turning away. "Come on, Kaito!" She called, still not glancing back. But she didn't notice the Palkia's still eyes flash bright blue, as Kaito's did the same. She didn't notice the medallion appear around Kaito's neck, then flicker out of sight.

* * *

Moriko slowly walked trance-like towards the two, studying them appraisingly. The little girl had on an old-fashioned faded honeydew-coloured dress with long, lacy white stockings, polished black flats with straps across the top and a red ribbon in her hair. The old man had a formal black tuxedo with shiny brass buttons and a faded red bow-tie.

"I-I'm really sorry," Moriko repeated haltingly. "I didn't know I was intruding!"

The girl simply looked at her with her childish innocence, never blinking her wide blue-brown eyes. The old man gazed at her calmly, almost sadly, the small sad smile on his face disturbingly knowing.

Moriko glanced between the two, still approaching. "What're your names?" She asked in an attempt to break the ice that locked the room in it's freezing grip. Moriko shivered with cold, the hearth in the far side of the room charred and obviously dusty.

The little girl stood soundlessly and walked towards Moriko, her eyes still wide open. Her footsteps made no sound on the ground, nor disturbed the thick layer of dust. Moriko's heart beat out of time. This little girl was not a normal little girl.

"Kawa."

The sound rang like a bell in Moriko's head, echoing around the room in a girlish, childish voice. Moriko looked at the girl, but her lips hadn't moved at all.

The man stood and walked the same soundless way towards Moriko, his sad expression never leaving his wrinkled face.

"Densetsu."

The sound once again echoed around the room, but once again the speaker's lips had not moved. This voice was hoarse with age, but kind and caring, filled with hints of the years it had known and with wisdom and knowing.

"Come," both voices said. Abruptly, the two turned around and walked to an oaken door at the end of the hall. Without realising it, Moriko followed them, interested yet at the same time afraid.

But a horrible thought suddenly struck her: where were they leading her? And why?

It was the 'why' that scared her the most.

* * *

Kaito and Ankoku had just gotten settled in the waiting room of the Pokémon centre when in came Hikari.

Ankoku abruptly stood. "Where's the Pink Princess, steel-girl?"

Hikari turned towards Ankoku and her eyes flashed. "Where's the Wild Child, O Mistress of Darkness? Out being one with nature?"

Ankoku balled her fists. "Don't you dare insult my friend!"

"Don't you dare insult my friend!" Hikari mimicked mockingly. "Whatcha gonna do, hit me with a Splash attack?"

Ankoku's eyes narrowed. "What are you gonna do, hit me with a..." she trailed off. Hikari grinned triumphantly.

Then Ankoku's eyes flashed with inspiration. "Oh that's right, I forgot! You don't know any moves at all! So you wouldn't be able to hit me with anything," Ankoku said in a falsely bright tone, eyebrows raised.

Hikari sneered. "You're eyesight's that bad? You can't even tell when I'm using a move? Well, maybe you should go to an optometrist!"

Ankoku had a ready and waiting retort. "Your eyesight must be worse! Thinking you're using a move when you're just flailing about like a beached Magikarp!" She feigned worry and put a hand over her mouth. "Oh dear, your eyesight is so incredibly bad you think I'm using Splash when really it's Water Pulse!"

Hikari bristled angrily, but she'd lost all her steam. "Want to battle?" She hissed, hand reaching for her bag.

Ankoku narrowed her eyes. "No thanks, I think I'll quit while I'm ahead. i'm not that keen on getting caught up in your dirty tricks!"

Hikari opened her mouth, then closed it, walking straight to the other side of the Pokémon center and sitting down with her back turned. Ankoku grinned. Taking Hikari down a peg (or two) was always thrilling and greatly rewarding.

Ankoku turned back to Kaito, a triumphant grin on her face, when she saw a green-haired young woman emerge from the seats behind them.

"Kaito!" Ankoku hissed. "Isn't that woman from your book about important Trainers?"

The young woman was small, with green hair, bright green eyes and a sweet smile. Her voice was high but sweet. Kaito's eyes went wide with recognition, then his brow furrowed. "That's strange," he said. "I know she's in there." He sighed. "How 'bout we ask her if she knows the Gym Leader?"

Ankoku, of course, decided to find out. She went over to the woman and stuck her hand out. "Hello, my name is Ankoku Arasoi. My friend Kaito and I are new to Eterna, and we're looking for the Gym Leader. Could you tell us where they are?"

The woman shook her hand. "My name is Hanako. I'm kind of the Gym Leader of Eterna City."

* * *

Moriko froze, staring at the them. "Wait!"

And surprise surprise, they didn't.

Moriko ran after them. "Wait!"

They stopped and turned, peering at Moriko with their frozen expressions.

"Where are you taking me? Why?" Moriko asked. The little ghostly girl -Kawa- came up to Moriko and spoke.

"Friends."

Moriko looked at her with eyes wide. "I'm sorry, what?" She coughed.

Kawa gazed up at her.

"Friends?"

This time it was a question. And this time, Moriko answered. "F-friends."

The butler, Densetsu, came up to Moriko.

"Good."

Then he put his hand on Moriko's shoulder, supposed to be a reassuring gesture. Except his hand went through Moriko.

Moriko swallowed and her knees trembled. She wasn't sure she could stand much longer.

Kawa and Densestu continued walking.

"Come."

They spoke in unison, Kawa's little girl voice blending to form a harmony with Densetsu's stentorian voice. Moriko followed, unsure of what else to do. Would they become angry if she left? What could she do? What would she do? What would creative, cool-headed Kaito do, or brave and clever Ankoku? They would have a plan, be out of here safe and sound in an instant. But Moriko? Her mind was blank.

Kawa and Densetsu led Moriko down dozens of winding halls and rooms, some small and narrow or spacious and cavernous. After what felt like aeons, the two ghosts finally stopped in front of a door that looked as though birch and dark cherry wood. Kawa turned to Moriko, the ghosts eyes boring into the still-living girl.

"Open."

Densetsu gazed his sad gaze at Moriko, but in his eyes was hope. Moriko,against the better judgement, pushed open the door.

"Of all people, it had to be you, didn't it?"

* * *

"Gym leader?" Kaito jumped up.

Ankoku stared at her. "Wait, what?" she blinked. "In my experience, Gym Leaders are arrogant pricks who call you pipsqueaks. Although," she said, surveying the tiny woman. "In your case, that would be pot calling the kettle black. No offense," she added hastily.

"None taken," Hanako smiled.

Kaito smiled, elated. Then he frowned, and felt his chest to find something round lying against it. He looked down, but couldn't see anything. He turned the object in his hand to the left, and whatever it was caught the light from he window. Kaito blinked as a bright object came into view. A medallion.

"So you train Grass type Pokémon?" Ankoku asked. Hanako nodded. "Just like my mother Gardenia. She taught me everything." He grinned. "Poor Azami."

"Who's Azami?" Kaito piped up, dropping the medallion. It fell back on his chest with a thud, once again invisible.

"Azami's my elder brother. He's a traveling Trainer. I believe he's now in Johto?" Hanako dug in her pocket for a moment, then pulled out a photo. Ankoku and Kaito leaned in. In the photo, a grinning young man and his arm around a younger version of Hanako. He was much taller than his little sister, with messy ginger hair, wide green eyes, and a Leafeon perched on his shoulder. They were standing in front of the Eterna Gym.

"Wow," Kaito said, his eyebrows raised. "Everything about you two is different, except the eyes."

"Yeah," Hanako smiled. "He used to joke I was adopted." A shadow fell over her expression, clouding . "I always looked more like father."

Kaito opened his mouth to ask, but Ankoku pinched him. Kaito glared at her. Sensitive about other's feelings, but not Kaito's? Classic 'Koku.

Hikari slid from her chair and came over. "Excuse me, Miss Hanako? I was wondering if you'd seen my friends. They're called Arashi and Dendo."

Hanako turned to her and smiled kindly. Even though the Gym Leader was shorter then Hikari, it was obvious she was older. "What do they look like?"

Hikari described them to Hanako, emphasizing Arashi's hair. Hanako frowned and shook her head. "Can't say that I have. Did they got the Old Château?"

Hikari half nodded half shook her head, then looked down at her toes. Kaito raised his eyebrows appraisingly, but for the first time Ankoku saw the gentler side of the girl.

"We went there together. I felt something weird, like a presence, and told them we should get out. They dismissed it, and told me I should get out if I was scared. So I did," Hikari sighed. Ankoku immediately sympathized, despite her better judgement. It must be hard for Hikari to admit that, especially in front of her and Kaito. Hikari continued. "I went to Eterna City and waited at the Pokémon Center. It's been four hours," Hikari bit her lip. "And I- I'm worried!" She through up her hands in frustration. "I don't know if they're doing it to trick me, or if something has happened to them."

At the word 'trick' Ankoku faltered. Could Hikari be doing all this to trick them into going to the Old Château? Suddenly, a terrible thought struck her and she turned to Hanako.

"The Old Château, is it at the fork in the road?" Ankoku asked, panic in her voice. "T-to the left?"

Hanako looked at her, her expression indiscernible. "Yes..."

Ankoku's hear skipped a beat and she grabbed Hanako's arm. "What are the stories about it?"

"They say that there are two ghosts that haunt the Old Château, the ghost of the little girl who lived there and the old butler," Hanako explained. "There were stories that a member of Team Galactic used to live there, although those are just rumors."

Ankoku almost had a heart attack. "I think," she swallowed. "That my friend, most likely with Arashi and Dendo, is trapped in the Old Château!"

* * *

Moriko stopped in her tracks. "What?"

Arashi and Dendo were standing in the room, their partners out, trying to slam or dig their way out of the room.

Suddenly, Arashi turned white and pointed behind her. "M-M-Moriko! D-don't t-turn around!"

Moriko turned around. Kawa and Densetsu were still standing there, but there was nothing to be worried about.

"I don't see anything, unless your trying a petty trick on me," Moriko said, hands on her hips.

Arashi shook her hand. "Don't you see them? They're standing right behind you! They're the ones who did all those horrible things!"

"Who?" Moriko blanched. "Who did what horrible things?"

"Th-th-th-th-the g-g-ghosts!" Arashi almost screamed.

Suddenly, it hit Moriko like a sledge hammer; she was in the Old Château, and these were the two ghosts who haunted it.

* * *

"We have to get to the Old Château! NOW!" Ankoku cried. Hikari grabbed her arm, pure panic in her voice. "No! It's to dangerous, Arasoi!"

"All the same, we have to save Moriko!" Kaito cried. Hikari rounded on him. "Don't you see? It's to dangerous! The ghosts-"

Ankoku butted in. "Ghosts or not, Moriko is my friend and Arashi is yours, and as much as I hate to do it we have to work together and save them!"

Hikari slowly shook her head. "Not even you, with your bravado, could make it out of there."

"You made it out of there!" Ankoku pointed out. Hikari clenched her fists. "Because I barely got in in the first place!" She almost yelled.

"Shut up, both of you!" Kaito yelled. Hikari and Ankoku froze. Hanako came forward. "It's useless arguing about this!"

"Then what do you suggest we do?!" Hikari and Ankoku bothe yelled at the same time.

Hanako deflated. "I don't know," she almost whispered. "I don't know.

Ankoku felt rage build up in her, hot and quick. Kaito, and Eterna, and Hikari and now this- it was all just to much.

Ankoku ran out of the Pokémon Center. This can't be happening, she thought. It can't happen.

* * *

"Kawa? Densetsu? Y-you're the ghosts!" Moriko looked at them in horror. Kawa looked up at her, but her expression was the same as ever,

"Help?"

The voice was imploring, as if little Kawa was trying to ask her for it. Begging for it.

"Why do you need me- our help?" Moriko asked. Dendo and Arashi stopped panicking and stared at her. "What?" Dendo said disbelievingly.

Moriko stepped towards the ghosts. Arashi and Dendo gasped. Moriko stared the little ghost girl right in the eye, trying to stay strong.

"Why do you need our help?" Moriko asked again, her voice surer this time. Suddenly and without warning, little Kawa's hand reached for Moriko's neck.

The last thing Moriko heard was Arashi screaming and Dendo yelling, before her vision dissolved into blackness.

Am I dead? Moriko wondered. Is this it?

Then, memories flashed through her head. Thoughts, all of them sweet little Kawa's. She saw Kawa's early life, Densetsu taking care of her like her own father, who was never home, always building his machines, she peeked through his diary, but all it read was Som...hing so pecu...r shou... make off ...ith the mot... then there was yelling, Kawa felt anger, then fear, then was final blast of pain- and Moriko knew she was feeling Kawa's death.

At the hands of her own father.

Then it changed. Kawa was now a ghost, and she was scared, panicking... fear etched itself through Moriko's heart like a knife... eerie screams and ghostly howls, falling plates and moving objects and fear, pure, untouched fear radiating through and around her...

Moriko's eyes opened.

_So now you know_, Kawa's little voice reverberated in Moriko's head, and she grasped it. _The Ghost-Type Pokémon. We need you living ones to get rid of them. They chase us and hurt us and scare us and make this place scary and bad. _

Kawa looked up at Moriko, and for the first time Moriko saw another emotion in Kawa's face. Sadness, but mixed with hope.

_All I want is for this place to be safe and nice again. To be a home again._

Finally, Moriko understood.

* * *

Kaito, Hikari and Hanako ran out after her. Ankoku kept on running until she'd reached the statue in the center of the town, leaning against it. Emotions broiled inside of her, threatening to spill out. Kaito ran all the way to Ankoku, yelling something. Hanako and Hikari followed. Ankoku felt so sick, nausea worming it's way inside her. She felt as though she was going to throw up, as though she was being exposed to something, something a Muk had lived in, or a Gunk Shot attack-

Someone screamed, and Ankoku's nausea was gone. The world seemed to shift, as though Ankoku was seeing it through different eyes, eyes that weren't human, were something else entirely. Her body seemed to swell with energy and strength, and the last thing she heard was a loud, menacing, almost evil roar- one she realized was her own- before she blacked out and the world dissolved into darkness.


End file.
